There is one thing Jesus did that triggered both the general population and the priesthood more than anything else: when He declared Himself to be God. Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus gave Himself seven “I am” statements along with one very big “I AM” statement. Here they are:
- I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
- I am the Light of the World (John 8:12)
- I am the Door (John 10:9)
- I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14)
- I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25)
- I am the Way and the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)
- I am the Vine (John 15:1,5)
- Before Abraham was, I AM (John 8:58)
Let’s examine each one and discuss why Jesus would say this about Himself, especially at the risk of extreme peril and rejection.
Jesus is the Bread of Life. John 6 opens with the feeding of the 5000 and covers Jesus’ discourse with the people who sought to make Him an automated food machine so they didn’t have to work for their food. He didn’t give them a second bite. He instead told them that their trust sustenance would be Him, His very life. To the Jews, eating any flesh and blood of a human was the ultimate food sin, yet Jesus said we were to eat His flesh and drink His blood. He was speaking of The Lord’s Supper and, of course, His crucifixion, but He is also the Word of God made flesh. And man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Jesus is that word. Jesus wanted us to take no other source of sustenance other than Him.
Jesus is the Light of the World. Jesus is the only source of visibility, knowledge, and understanding. Yes, we have the sun for physical light, and yes, we have education, but they are mere shadows of the true light and true knowledge – Jesus. Jesus is the only one who helps us to see clearly in any circumstance.
Jesus is the Door. Jesus is the only way in. He was speaking about a sheep pen; being the door, He marks and identifies who belongs in the pen and who doesn’t. But this also applies to the door of the Ark of Noah – one door, one way in, one means of salvation. Trying to get in any other way is like a thief trying to sneak in and claim what is not his. Jesus is the only way to salvation.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Jesus is the guardian, protector, and supplier for the sheep. He will beat up the wolves, and He will lead us to the fields and waters to eat in peace. Even when enemies are around, He will prepare a table for us while He protects us. But as the Good Shepherd, He also corrects us and disciplines us so that we may walk with Him instead of going our own way.
Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. Jesus is the source of life. He won’t merely bring us to resurrection, He is the resurrection itself. It is in and through Jesus that life is given, taken away, and even given again. Lazarus had died, and Jesus waited intentionally for him to die so that He could perform His final public miracle: raising Lazarus from the dead. Jesus did this to demonstrate that physical death, physical sickness, or even the pain of suffering and torture mean nothing to a Christian who has their trust in Jesus because He has the power over it. It does not mean all will be healed physically in this life or there will be no suffering, but it means there is far more with Jesus than this physical life.
Jesus is the Way, Truth, and the Life. Jesus is exclusive. I know that is not a popular thing to say, but there is only one means of salvation and that is through Jesus Christ. He is the way to life. He is the truth, the only standard of reality that is never wrong. He is the life, and those who have Christ have something that no one or nothing else can offer: hope beyond this world. No other religion can do it. No achievement of man can do it. Only Jesus can do it. And the best part about it is we don’t have to do the heavy lifting. All we have to do is follow Him and He takes care of all the details.
Jesus is the Vine. Jesus is the source of life and the power behind all life. We have to rest and trust in Him and stay connected to Him. Otherwise, we are like a dead branch that can do nothing but be a pawn or tool in someone else’s hands. But if we are attached to Jesus, not only will we bear spiritual fruit, but we will have the “goods” to grow. The more we grow, the stronger the attachment to the vine.
Jesus is the I AM. This is the ultimate statement of Jesus’ self-identification where even above His declaration to be one with the Father, here He declared Himself to be the very God who appeared to Moses. And newsflash: He was. It was the Angel of the Lord who appeared to Moses and declared Himself to be the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was Jesus who appeared to Abraham multiple times and it was Jesus who wrestled with Jacob. Jesus is the I AM. He truly could declare Himself to be God because He was the very one who gave Moses that name.
Jesus is everything – quite literally, everything. He is God. Everything is about Him and for Him. He created everything for His glory and His pleasure, and He created us to be able to partake in that love He has. He is the purpose of all things, and we exist to worship Him and to enjoy Him forever. He is to be the center of our thoughts, the source of our sustenance, our go-to, our protection, our provider, our everything. While we have our doctrines and our theologies, every one of them is centered around Jesus. And if we miss Jesus, we miss everything. Don’t miss Him.
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